Universal side bearing for car-underframes.



G. T. WESTLAKE & O. F. FREDE.

UNIVERSAL SIDE BEARING FOB GAB. UNDERFRAMES;

APPLICATION FILED AIR.9, 1912.

1,033,644. Patented July 23, 1912.

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'' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES '1. WESTLAKE AND CHARLES F. FREDE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNORS T DOUBLE BODY BOLSTER COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

UNIVERSAL SIDE BEARING FOR CAR-UNDERFRAMES.

Original application filed November 6, 1911, Serial No. 658,816.

Specification of Letters Patent.

9, 1912. Serial No. 689,517.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES T. Wns'r- LAKE and CHARLES F. FREDE, citizens of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Universal Side Bearings for Car-Underframes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a plan View of a cast metal underframe and showing our improved adjustable and reversible side bearing mem bers applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a cross section taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and showing the side bearing member in position as required in connection with a six-wheel truck. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 and showing the side bearing member reversed in position as is required in connection with a four-wheel truck.

This invention relates generally to car underframes and more particularly to reversible and adjustable side bearing members utilized in connection with double body bolsters, and the subject matter forming this application is a division of an application filed by us on November 6, 1911 for car underframes, Serial #658,816.

It is the purpose of our invention to form side bearing members of a cast metal underframe or a double body blister-separate from the order that said side bearing members can be applied to the underframe or double body bolster in position as required for either six-wheel or four wheel trucks.

here six-Wheel trucks are utilized it is necessary that the side bearings be located at greater distances from the longitudinal center line of the underframe than when the center bearings are positioned for use in connection with four-wheel trucks, and further in six-wheel trucks the chafing plates or bearing surfaces of the side bearings must occupy a plane slightly above the plane occupied by the chafing plates or bearing surfaces of four-wheel trucks. By making the side bearing members independent of the underframe or double body bolster said side bearing members can be readily applied for use at the desired points as required for either four-wheel or six-wheel trucks. In case the side bearings become worn or broken in service they can be readily detached and replaced with new side bearings without discarding the entire underframe or double body bolster.

To the above purposes our invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings; 1 designates the longitudinally disposed central member of the double body bolster and 2 the transversely disposed bolster members which are preferably cast integral with the member 1. The bolster members 2 are preferably flanged at both top and bottom, and formed through the inner top flanges at predetermined distances from the longitudinal center of the member 1 are apertures 3 adapted to receive the rivets or fastening devices utilized for attaching the ends of the side bearings.

The side bearing member as shown comprises a rail or bar 4 preferably cast in a single piece and substantially channelshaped in cross section. The horizontally disposed flanges at one side of the bar and at the center thereof extends outwardly, as designated by 5 so as to be slightly offset with respect to the end portions of said bar and the central portion of the opposite horizontally disposed flange is correspondingly extended inwardly, as designated by 6 so as to be offset with respect to the adjacent portions of the flanges.

A vertically disposed strengthening rib 7 unites the offset portions 5 and 6 and said oflset portions are provided with apertures 8 adapted to receive chafing plates9 which are engaged by the side bearings of the truck bolster (not shown). Formed integral with the ends of the bar or rail 5 are horizontally disposed plates 10, the same being perforated in order to receive rivets or like fastening devices.

WVhen the side bearings are applied to the underframe the plates 10 are positioned against the undersides of the top flanges of the members 2 and rivets or like fastening devices are inserted through the coinciding apertures in said flanges and plates, thereby rigidly fixing the side bearing members to the under-frame.

The central portion of the side bearing member is formed so that when said member applied to the under frame or double body bolster for use in connection with a six-wheel truck, as shown in Fig. 2, the chafing plate 9 applied to the member 6 occupies a plane slightly higher and above the plane occupied by said chafing plate when the same is fixed to the portion 5 and the side bearing is reversed so as to be utilized in connection with a four-wheel truck, as seen in Fig.

When the side bearing members are applied to the underframe or double body bolster for use in connection with a sixwhcel truck they occupy the positions as shown by solid lines in Fig. 1, at greater distances from the longitudinal center of the truck frame than when positioned for use in connection with four-wheel trucks as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Side bearings of our improved construction are particularly intended for use in connection with cast metal tmderframes and double body bolsters, and by forming said side bearings independent of the underframes and double body bolsters the latter can be readily adapted for use in connection with either six-wheel or fourwheel trucks.

It will be readily understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of our improved side bearing can be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of our invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

lVc claim:

1. In a car underframe a combination with a double body bolster member of reversible side bearing members detachably applied to said double body bolster member each of which. members is provided with a pair of bearing faces,

2. The con'ibination with a double body bolster member, of reversible side bearing members adapted to be applied to said double body bolster member at different distances from the center thereof each of which bearing members is provided with a pair of l'iearing faces.

3. The combination with a double body bolster member, of side bearing members detachably applied thereto, which side bear ing members are each provided with a pair of bearing faces and are reversible in order to vary the height occupied by the acting bearing faces.

4C. A side bearing member comprising a rail, the ends of which. are adapted to be attached to a double body bolster member and the central portions of the top and bot tom faces of which rail are at different distances from the plane occupied by the engaging faces of the end portions of said rail.

A side bearing member comprising a flanged rail adapted to be applied to a double body bolster member and the central portions of the flanges of which rail are offset with respect to the adjacent portions of said flanges.

6. A side bearing member of the class described, comprising a reversible rail provided with a pair of bearing faces and perforated plates integral with the ends of said rail whereby the same can be attached to an underframe.

7. The combination with a car underframe, of a, reversible side bearing member applied to said. underfran'ie, which side b iaringmember is provided with an oppositely disposed pair of bearing faces.

8. The combination with a car underframe, of a reversible side bearing member applied to said under-frame, which side bearing member is provided with an oppositely disposed pair of bearing faces, one of which when in working position occupies a higher plane than the plane occupied by the opposite face when the latter is in working position.

9. The combination with a car underframe of a side bearing member, detachably applied to said underframe, which side bearing member is provided with a pair of hearing faces one of which when in working position, occupies a higher plane, than the plane occupied by the other bearing face when the latter is in working positions.

1.0. A side bearing member of the class described, con'iprisiag a rail adapted to be attached to a. car undcrfraiue which rail is provided with a pair of bearing faces, one of which when in working positions occupies a higher plane than the plane occupied by the other face when the latter is in working position.

In testimony whereof we hereunto affix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses, this 28th day of February, 1912.

CHARLES T. WESTLAKE. CHARLES F. FREDE.

-Witnesses HAL C. BELLVILLE, FRED H. BLANKENBOON,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1). C. 

